The present invention relates to corkscrews in general, and more particularly to that type of corkscrews which are supported on the neck of the bottle both during the threading of a cork-engaging helix into a cork, and during extraction of the cork from the neck of the bottle.
There is already known a corkscrew which includes a spindle the trailing end of which is provided with an external thread and the leading end of which is formed with a cork-engaging helix, a nut which embraces the threaded portion of the spindle and having radially projecting opposite projections which constitute a handgrip of the nut, a locking member which embraces the nut, is pivotable about a pivot axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the spindle, and has a bore which, in the unlocking position of the locking element, releases the spindle, and a bracket or support which is displaceable longitudinally of the spindle and adapted to pivot the locking element into its unlocking position, such support having legs which are interconnected by means of a supporting ring resting on a neck of the respective bottle.
In a heretofore proposed corkscrew of this type, the locking element has a center of gravity which is spaced from the pivot axis thereof so that the locking element which is pivotally mounted on the nut is juxtaposed, in the region of the actuating portion thereof, with the threaded portion of the spindle in such a manner that its abutment wall overlaps the free end of the threaded portion of the spindle. In this locking position of the locking member relative to the spindle, the bore which permits the free passage of the spindle out of the locking member is in an ineffective position, that is, it is pivoted into a position in which it extends transversely of the longitudinal axis of the spindle. Now, when the nut having the handgrip is turned about the longitudinal axis of the spindle, the entire spindle is also turned about its longitudinal axis as a result of the engagement of the free end of the spindle with the above-mentioned abutment wall of the locking element, so that the helix at the leading end of the spindle can be threaded into a cork. During this turning, the bracket or support which displaceably surrounds the spindle, contacts the neck of the bottle with its supporting ring. When the cork-engaging helix penetrates into the cork to the desired extent, the support, which moves relative to the spindle during the turning of the latter longitudinally thereof, engages with its abutment surface the actuating portion of the locking element and, during further turning of the nut, pivots the locking element about its pivot axis through about 90.degree.. As a result of the pivoting of the locking element, the bore of the latter reaches a position in which it is coaxial with the spindle and arranged in registry with the free trailing end thereof, so that the spindle can emerge out of the locking element through this bore. As soon as the trailing end of the spindle is no longer confined by the locking element, the spindle is only longitudinally displaced during the further rotation of the nut, without rotating. During such axial displacement of the spindle, the cork is extracted from the neck of the respective bottle which rests against the supporting ring.
Experience with this conventional corkscrew has shown that the penetration of the helix of the spindle into the cork, during the first phase of operation of the corkscrew, is only possible when the bottle and the corkscrew are arranged in a vertical position, the corkscrew being arranged upwardly of the bottle. On the other hand, when the bottle and the corkscrew assume a position which deviates from the vertical, the locking element assumes a position inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the spindle so that the bore of the locking element sets the trailing end of the spindle free for displacement relative to the nut. Now, when the handgrip of the nut is actuated in such a position of the locking element, the helix at the leading end of the spindle cannot be threaded into the cork, but rather the spindle moves through the bore of the locking element and emerges out of the same so that the corkscrew is incapable of performing its function.
In addition thereto, the conventional corkscrew of this type includes a metallic bracket which is either made of bent wire, or is manufactured in an injection molding procedure. In order to, on the one hand, protect such metallic brackets from corrosion and, on the other hand, give such metallic brackets an aesthetically pleasing appearance, the exposed surfaces of such metallic brackets are provided with a coating of chromium, nickel or the like. The manufacture of such metallic brackets is expensive both in terms of labor and capital investment.